1. She graduated from New York University.
2. She lives in or near Los Angeles.
3. Since her first novel was released, she’s been on the New York Times bestseller list every week.
4. She likes strong coffee and bourbon.
5. She’s my mother.

Devan knows very little about Reece Malcolm, until the day her father dies and she’s shipped off to live with the mother she’s never met. All she has is a list of notebook entries that doesn’t add up to much.

L.A. offers a whole new world to Devan—a performing arts school allows her to pursue her passion for show choir and musicals, a new circle of friends helps to draw her out of her shell, and an intriguing boy opens up possibilities for her first love.

But then the Reece Malcolm list gets a surprising new entry. Now that Devan is so close to having it all, can she handle the possibility of losing everything?

Things I know About The Reece Malcolm List:

It will make you laugh.

If you are at all into musical theatre, it will make you sing. If you’re not into it, it’ll probably give you the urge to check it out.

It will make you want to go to LA (even if you live in Southern California, and hate the traffic, like me).

It will make you a little giddy.

It will make you cry. (But mostly in the happy way.)

This might be my favorite read of 2013, so far. I went in with zero expectations, but finished with cheeks that ached and were sporting a few tear trickles.

Devan grew up in St. Louis with her dad and stepmother, knowing absolutely nothing of her mother–not even her name. It wasn’t until she happened upon one of her mother’s books with the dedication made out to her, that she began to suspect. And research.

When her dad dies unexpectedly and she’s shipped off to LA to live with her stranger of a mother, she knows exactly five things:

1. She graduated from New York University.

2. She lives in or near Los Angeles.

3. Since her first novel was released, she’s been on the New York Times bestseller list every week.

4. She likes strong coffee and bourbon.

5. She’s my mother.

Things with Devan and Reece are awkward at first. Reece has no idea how to be a mom, and Devan has no idea how to relate to her famous, and a little abrasive mother. The only bright spot is her mother figuring out she’s into musical theatre, and enrolling her in a fancy performing arts high school.

Which is pretty big for her. She’s always had a natural talent and affinity for performing, but going to school with other kids just as passionate as she is is a new for her. She’s used to being part of a small niche of geeks on campus–but now her entire school is made up of people just like her.

And she’s one of the best.

She expects to be treated with jealousy and bitterness for being the talented new kid, but instead finds she has friends almost immediately–another first for her. As is the fact that the seriously beautiful (and yet seriously nice) Sai, a fellow new kid, even talks to her, let alone pursues her friendship.

While she finds her place in school, she and Reece begin to find their place together as well. Devan soon finds herself comfortable, if not on her way to actual happiness.

Until she learns something about her mother that could break the tenuous bonds they’ve begun to forge.

I really loved the relationships Amy Spalding created here. Devan isn’t the damaged, angry mourner I expected. She’s a lot awkward, and a little self-involved, both of which I found refreshingly accurate for a sixteen year old. And Reece may be a thirty-two year old famous author, but she’s almost as clueless as her daughter. She isn’t the absent, negligent parent we see in most YAs–she’s just not really sure how to go about being a mom. But she’s trying, and I liked watching them dance around one another until they found their rhythm.

I loved the musical theatre focus, and can see it appealing to fans of Glee, even if they aren’t into theater. And although I think some may be turned off by Devan’s voice, as it’s very teenage girl, I found it endearing and authentic. (But maybe that’s just because I live in Southern California and have never quite outgrown the Valley Girl in me.)

“Knowing they’re in, like, True Love is a weird thing to comprehend. I feel a weird surge of happiness for them, along with a lame zap of jealousy that I could have made it to sixteen without any boys even wanting to kiss me.

Also, ugh, really? Dad is dead and my long-lost mother would have totally preferred to stay long-lost, and I’m feeling sorry for myself about boys?”

Devan has the voice, and the wants / fears / dreams of a normal sixteen year old, but doesn’t come across superficial or vapid. Just real.

I found The Reece Malcolm List very reminiscent of Anna and the French Kiss in some ways, which is about the highest praise I can give a contemporary YA. It’s not as swoony as Anna, as the main focus isn’t on the romance (though the romance is there, and it is swoony), but it left me with the same giddy, happy feeling as Anna did.

Which is pretty much my favorite way to end a book.

The Reece Malcolm List is Amy Spalding’s debut novel, and will be followed up this December with Ink is Thicker Than Water, which sounds equally fun.

This review also appears on GoodReads. An advance copy was provided by the publisher.

50 Responses to “The Reece Malcolm List: review”

Seriously, this book sounds FANTASTIC. I’ve been seeing wonderful reviews for it popping up all over the place. What I’m super excited about is the fact that there’s theater and performing arts involved!

And I’m right with ya in the whole “teenager talk”–the type of speech used can never interfere with the plot. I mean, 1984 and newspeak and all that stuff doesn’t detract from the overall classic-ness of the story.

What a refreshing thing it is to see a book about an average normal teenage girl that wants to get to know her mother better and do good at her new school and meet new friends. We need more books like this because I am getting pretty tired of crazy dramatic love triangle paranormal romance books. I want something normal now! Great review Wendy!

I just finished this one the other day and your review was spot on! At times Devan’s voice bugged me but then I thought of myself at 16 and it was like we could have been twins in the whole thought process department. Great review!-Katelyn

Wow, you really like this book! I have actually never heard of it, or of its author. Sounds kind of interesting though – lots of lists? I am not in the show choir of my high school, but I do enjoy the arts!Great review!

That IS a really big comparison! I will definitely add this one to my list. I can’t sing at all but I sure wish I could. I did get accepted to a performing arts high school – for drama and dance, though I moved states before I could attend. Hopefully this book will help me relive the glory that I never had. HA! Great review.

I canNOT wait to read this one! Devan really does sound refreshing because from your review, she doesn’t like the typical YA 16 year old and I like that. I like how she’s not all self-pity. Everything sounds amazing. Love your review!

So I admittedly have heard nothing about this book until last week but it has been getting great reviews! The dynamic of the mother and daughter relationship sounds really refreshing and like something I would enjoy to read. And I LOVED Anna and the French Kiss so if it gave you that giddy feeling, I must check it out. Great review! :)

I hope you like as much as I did! I feel like I should give the disclaimer that you shouldn’t go in expected the same level of swoon / romantic focus as ANNA, but the overall voice and destination feel definitely felt familiar. And yes, it left me giddy and happy.

This caught my eyes but you have definitely put in on my radar. Sounds like a very interesting way to develop a mother/daughter relationship. Only a few clues and then she must live with her mom and learn to be a daughter and have a mother. I like the musical theatre focus as well.

It was a very interesting dynamic, one I’d never read before. I so appreciated that it wasn’t the deadbeat / neglectful parent scenario that we often find in YA. And the musical theatre focus was the icing on the cake for me.

I just bought this! I passed it up for review, but then I kept seeing all these really gushy reviews, including yours, and I knew I couldn’t miss out again. I’m hoping to start it this weekend, but with that high praise (the giddy & happy feeling after Anna…I WANT THAT!), I may not be able to wait. Great review!!!

I’ve seen mixed reviews for this one, but because you mentioned that this was very reminiscent to Anna means that I will now be giving it a chance. At first I thought that maybe it would have been too young for me but now I see that I should really give it a chance.

I absolutely love the comparison to Anna And The French Kiss — I mean, the two books are totally different in plot, but I loved that both spoke authentically to the experience of being a teen (granted I never went to boarding school nor do I have a famous parent), but a few things are universal like crushes, school and boys (or girls) and The Reece Malcolm List nails that.

Ohmigosh! This sounds fantastic! I have it on my Kindle…waiting. Think it’s going to get read TODAY!! I *will* find the time. Saying it similar to ANNA makes me want to read it even more. Love this kind of book. :)

Yay! I’m so glad I convinced you. I don’t want people going in expecting the same level of swoon as ANNA, but the destination feel is there, and the voice is reminiscent. I hope you love as much as I did. :)